THE DARKNESS by Ragnar Jónasson
“A complex, fascinating mix of Icelandic community and alienation, atmospheric tension, and timely issues (immigrant exploitation and vigilante justice), Jónasson’s latest series is another must-read for crime fans who follow the work of Arnaldur Indridason and Yrsa Sigurdardóttir.” — Booklist, starred review

“Jónasson pulls no punches as this grim tale builds to its stunning conclusion, one of the more remarkable in recent crime fiction. Fans of uncompromising plotting will be satisfied.” — Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Intricately plotted and elegantly written, this installment is billed as Perez’s final case. Series fans will be sorry to see the last of him.” — Publishers Weekly, starred review

ZERO SUM GAME by S.L. Huang“This hard-to-put-down, action-packed sf debut is intelligent and entertaining. With Cas, Huang has created an indelible, flawed character who makes mathematics seem almost magical.” — Library Journal, starred review & debut of the month

“A fast-paced, darkly humorous read with a lot of heart for fans of action and urban fantasy, as well as lovers of Wolverine and other morally ambiguous, gritty superheroes with a mysterious past.” — Booklist, starred reviewreadmoreremove

The script is designed to be read by four actors, and directions on how to stage the event are also included. Plus, Minotaur Books will provide free Ann Cleeves Shetland & Vera books to use as a prizes when you host your murder mystery game!

A SINGLE SPY by William ChristieTwo starred reviews! During WWII, young Russian spy with divided loyalties, under deep cover in Nazi Germany, uncovers an assassination plot that could change the course of history. “With detailed historical events, compelling characters, and plenty of heart-grabbing moments, this novel is intensely engaging from the first page. Alexsi is complex and fully drawn; this is a spy who gains the reader’s trust while never showing his hand. Christie’s fabulous novel of historical espionage will appeal to both World War II fiction buffs and spy novel/thriller aficionados. Extremely well done.” — Library Journal, starred & boxed review

INCENDIARY: The Psychiatrist, the Mad Bomber, and the Invention of Criminal Profiling by Michael Cannell
Long before the specter of terrorism haunted the public imagination, a serial bomber stalked 1950s New York. The race to catch him would give birth to a new science called criminal profiling. You can also follow the “Mad Bomber” throughout NYC in this interactive map! “A fascinating study not just of a historical crime and its consequences, but also its unintended effects.” — Kirkus Reviews, starred review

Did you also know that in 2016, Ann was appointed as a National Libraries Day ambassador, an annual celebration that highlights the importance of libraries and the vitally important public services they provide both to individuals and their communities? She also set up reading groups in prisons as part of the Inside Books project. Don’t forget the Vera TV series starring actress Brenda Blethyn is available through Hulu, Amazon, iTunes, Google Play, and Acorn TV, too!

The script is designed to be read by four actors, and directions on how to stage the event are also included. Plus, Minotaur Books will provide three Ann Cleeves Shetland series books to use as a prize when you host your murder mystery game!

Please share some of your creative process. What research do you typically do for your Shetland books, and what research went into COLD EARTH? How was the creative process different with COLD EARTH than with the previous books?

My research certainly isn’t hard work! I visit the islands, sit in my friends’ kitchens, drink tea and gossip. I listen to their preoccupations. COLD EARTH started with the title, which is unusual for me. Often that’s the very last thing to arrive. This quartet is based around the elements: DEAD WATER, THIN AIR and now COLD EARTH. Earth made me think about the burial service: ‘Earth to earth, dust to dust.’ So, the story starts with a funeral. In 2003 there was a serious landslide that cut the island in two. More earth. It just missed a small croft house. I used that as a dramatic opening to the novel. It set the theme of secrets buried and uncovered. readmoreremove

Julia Keller spoke with NPR’s Noah Adams about her mystery series set in West Virginia (based on her hometown of Guyandotte) and starring prosecuting attorney Bell Elkins.

“One of the things I wanted to do with having a female protagonist is to allow her to have her anger. If we let women have a little more of their anger and to speak their minds, we’d have a very different kind of world,” Keller said.

“I love the idea of long, low horizons with secrets hidden underneath,” Cleeves said. The author has been making regular trips to the Scottish islands for 40 years and her books are so popular that a tourism agency has put out a map showing where key scenes in the novels take place. Even the BBC has turned the books into a hit TV series titled “Shetland,” with a U.S. adaptation to come in the future.

Back in the States, Karen Grigsby Bates joined Rachel Howzell Hall in South Los Angeles where they talked about her debut novel, LAND OF SHADOWS, featuring homicide detective Elouise “Lou” Norton and the unique circumstances that led her to become a writer.

“When I was 33 years old,” Hall says, “I was diagnosed with a rare type of breast cancer. And I was pregnant. And it was terrifying. Having faced that, that’s the biggest fear anyone could have. It’s like, ‘OK, you’re writing a book? That’s not scary. I can do that.’ And that’s when I started LAND OF SHADOWS.”

We're a day away from TGIF and you know what that means: #ThrillerThursday! Here's what we're reading this week:

RUNNER by Patrick LeeYou know how much Anne loves this "high-tech thriller that's hard to put down" (Library Journal, starred review) because she can't stop recommending it to anyone who will listen (hey casting directors: Channing Tatum!). She's not the only one–it's a March Indie Next pick, has three starred reviews, and the adoration of Lee Child, Steve Berry and Nelson DeMille.

THE INNOCENT SLEEPby Karen PerryThis psychological thriller about a couple restarting their lives five years after losing their son in a tragic accident is perfect for those of you who enjoyed the March 2014 LibraryReads pick, PRECIOUS THING. "This novel, with a premise that taps into the fears of every parent, is an entertaining thriller that fans of Tana French and Gillian Flynn will enjoy." — Library Journal(get the free downloadable praise sheet)

DEAD WATER by Ann CleevesIn the eagerly awaited new entry in Ann Cleeves' popular Shetland Islands series (now airing on BBC as the television series Shetland), Detective Inspector Willow Reeves and Inspector Jimmy Perez team up to investigate the murder of a journalist. "Cleeves has an unusually deft hand with characters; not one of them seems purely plot-functional, and Perez’s character keeps deepening with each book." — Booklist, starred review

BROTHERHOOD OF FEAR by Paul GrossmanIt's 1933 and famed detective Willi Kraus is avoiding deportation back to Nazi Germany when he finds himself unwittingly drawn into a murder mystery in Paris. "Grossman again manages to make the past come alive, and his complicated investigator displays enough depth and frailty to warrant continued exploits, even without the series’ initial hook of a Jewish cop fighting for justice under the Nazis." — Publishers Weekly, starred review readmoreremove